firmity of his Body, to do fomething that might argue fome Diftruft in his Mind concerning the Providence of God, affaulted him with the first of thefe greatest and most memorable Temptations, faying, What need you fuffer thus for Hunger? If you are indeed the Son of God, command now these Stones to be turned into Bread; for affuredly God will not deny to work fo fmall a Miracle for your Relief, in this time of Diftrefs. 4. But Jefus, knowing his malicious Subtilty, anfwered: The Life of Man (as the Scripture faith, Deut. viii. 3.) is not fo much fuftained by the natural Nourishment of Bread, as by the Bleffing and Protection of God; Neither ought Men to be so much concerned to provide Food for the prefervation of this mortal Life, as they ought to be careful to keep up in their Minds a rational and religious Truft and Reliance upon the Goodnefs and Providence of God. 5. Finding therefore that Jefus could not be overcome by the Temptation of Hunger, to fatisfy the Appetites of his Body, in any way contrary to that pious Refolution of his Mind, whereby he firmly determined never to diftruft God's Providence ; the Devil carried him from the Place where he firft tempted him, to the top of an exceeding high Mountain; and reprefenting to him from thence the great Glory and Splendour of the Kingdoms of the World, endea The Order of the Temptations, not being material in the Hiftory, is neglected either here, or Matth. iv. voured to feduce him with this new Temptation, faying, 6 & 7. See you the Power, Wealth, and Glory, that the Princes of the Earth enjoy? All these things are at my Difpofal; I beftow them on whomfoever pleafe; And if you will but pay me fo fmall an Acknowledgment, as only to kneel down and worship me, all the things that the greatest Princes poffefs, fhall be heaped together upon уси. 8. But Jefus defpifing these false and vain Offers of the Father of Lies, replied with Indignation: Depart from me, thou wicked Spirit; for the Scripture faith, (Deut. vi. 13.) Thou shalt worShip the Lord thy God, and him only fhalt thou ferve. 9. Again, the Devil finding that Jefus could no more be overcoine by the Temptation of Ambition, than he had been by that of Hunger; he carries him next into Jerufalem, and fetting him upon the Edge of the Battlements of the Temple, affaults him with one Temptation more; faying, If you be the Son of God, give an evident Proof now of your Power, and throw your felf down from this high place. 10 & 11. For if you are the Son of God, you have a Promise in Scripture, that God will miraculously preferve you; Pfal. xci. 11. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee, and in their Hands they shall bear thee up, left at any time thou dash thy Foot against a stone. 12. But Jefus answered again; The Scripture faith, (Deut. vi, 16.) Thou fhalt not tempt the Lord thy God. In all Dangers, which either the Duties fhalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a feafon. 14 And Jefus returned in the power of the spirit into Galilee and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 15 And he taught in their fynagogues, being glorified of all, 16 J And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up and, as his cuftom was, he went into the fynagogue on the fabbath-day, and ftood up for to read : 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the pro phet Efaias; and when he had open of Religion, or the Bufinefs or Ne- 13. Thus Jefus abfolutely vanquish- 14 Then Jefus, under the powerful Guidance of the Holy Ghost, returned into Galilee; and there he began to Mark i. * i, preach, and t to work Miracles; fo that 14. his Fame quickly fpread over all the † John ii, Country. 15. For fuch was the Excellency of the Doctrine he taught, and fuch the Greatnefs of the Works by which he confirmed it, that all Men were furprized with Admiration, and looked upon him as an extraordinary Prophet. 16. Now as he paffed through Galilee, he came among other Places to Nazareth, the Place of his own Conception and Education; and there, as he had done in other Places, he went into their Synagogue on the Sabbath Day, and ftood up to read and expound the Scripture. 17. The Book that was That Day appointed to have a Portion of it read and expounded, was the Prophecy of Ifaiah. And when Jefus opened it ed the book, he to read, the Wisdom of Providence found the place directed him to a moft remarkable Paffage, wherein Himfelf was clearly prophefied II. prophefied of, and his Office emphatically defcribed. The Place was, Ifa. vi. 1. where Jefus read these Words. 18 & 19. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor, he hath fent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of fight to the blind, to fet at liberty them that are bruifed, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, &c. 20. Which Paffage as foon as Jefus had read, he fhut up the Book, and gave it back to the Reader that brought it; and fat down. And all the People were very attentive, expecting to hear his Expofition of the Paffage. 21. Then Jefus faid; The Paffage that I have now read to you, is fulfilled in me at this very time; I am this Day fent of God with full Power and Authority, to preach the glad Tidings of Salvation to all that are willing and prepared to receive it; And this is the acceptable time, wherein ye ought to embrace with all Thankfulness God's gracious Offers of Reconciliation and Mercy. 22. And all the People in the Synagogue were aftonifhed at the Wifdom and Authority with which he spake; and at the Excellency of his Doctrine. Nevertheless, because they knew his Relations dwelling in the fame City, they were offended at the Meannefs of his Parentage and Education; and this Prejudice prevailed against the Conviction of their Reafon, fo that they be lieved him not. 23. Jefus therefore faid unto them; I know you are prejudiced against me; and though ye are convinced in your 23 And he faid unto them, Ye will furely fay unto me own Confciences of the Goodnefs and Excellency of my Doctrine, yet ye will pretend ye cannot believe me, unless I work more Miracles to fatisfie your Curiofity. And ye will fay to me; Surely, what * you have done in Capernaum and other places, much more ought you to do here in your own Country, for the fatisfaction of your Relations and Friends. 24. But affuredly, though I fhould work more Miracles amongst you, yet would you not believe me. For fo long as ye will judge of things by outward and temporal Confiderations, no Conviction can be ftrong enough to conquer your unreafonable Prejudices. No Prophet was ever efteemed fo much in his own Country, where either the Meannefs of his Family, or fome other fuch worldly Respect, prejudiced People against him; as among Strangers, who judged of him only by his Doctrine and Works. And therefore, tho' I have done many mighty Works in other Places, yet it does not feem agreeable to the Divine Wisdom that I fhould do fo many here. 25, 26, 27. For moft justly does God deny to fome, thofe extraordinary Means of Grace, and Opportunities of Conviction, which he grants to Others who are more humble and modeft, and more prepared to receive Inftruction. Thus in the Days of Elijah, when there was a great Famine in the Land for above three Years together; though there were many Wi *Hence it seems probable, that St. Luke relates this Hiftory, before the true order of time; upon the occafion of Jesus's being now at Nazareth. dows |